Paul Allott and Emma Spedding have a strong attachment to Brown Swiss, born not only out of a genuine love for the breed, but also tragedy.
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In October 2015 a truckload of Dryfesdale Brown Swiss cattle belonging to Jeremy Josefski arrived at Paul and Emma’s farm.
Jeremy, from Gympie in Queensland, was following them down in his own vehicle to begin working for the couple, when he was tragically killed in a car accident.
Paul and Emma, along with Jeremy’s wife Leah, decided to continue Jeremy’s passion and show at International Dairy Week the following January and they ended up coming away with an emotional, honourable mention win with five-year-old Dryfesdale Fantastic Four.
Leah decided she wanted Paul and Emma to continue showing on behalf of Jeremy, and their relationship with Dryfesdale continues today.
“Leah said to us ‘you continue to breed the cattle on’," Emma said.
“We are in contact all the time and we have certainly come a long way with our Brown Swiss in a hurry over the last four years.”
This year’s dairy week team will consist of about 10 head, a mixture of Dryfesdale animals and Paul and Emma’s own WaltopsoBrown Swiss and Holstein.
Emma and Paul’s former fitter Todd Brown is now working for them full-time on their Strathmerton dairy farm, and has become a permanent member of the Waltopso and Dryfesdale team.
“We have 10 in our team and Todd is taking a couple of his own,” Emma said.
“We also have Nathan Daley from Ourway Holsteins in Atherton coming down and he will take our Friesians under his wing.”
Over the years there have been a few notable Dryfesdale cows do well at IDW, including Dryfesdale Fantastic Four who won honourable mention, Dryfesdale Grandslam Jolene who came second in class in 2016 and Emma’s own personal favourite, Dryfesdale Mark Lemon, who came second in her class and won reserve junior champion.
Lemon is heading back again in 2020 and Emma can’t wait to see how she goes.
When it comes to Waltopso, Biver Victory won her calf class last year and will head back again this year in the 14-month-old class.
“I love starting them out and seeing where they go and how they do,” Emma said.